Few things are more iconic, particularly for West Coast rap, than the rapper with 40 ounces of malt liquor. The brand doesn't matter; Olde English, Colt 45, King Cobra—any will do. The enormous glass bottle demands your attention. It's been a source of controversy, emblematic of the rise of gangster rap and all the possible connotations of that sound.
Now, with the panic behind us, the photos become historical documents of a rich past. Time to go back, back into time.